Xref: utzoo comp.misc:5320 comp.lang.misc:2700
Path: utzoo!utgpu!bnr-vpa!bnr-fos!bnr-public!schow
From: schow@bnr-public.uucp (Stanley Chow)
Newsgroups: comp.misc,comp.lang.misc
Subject: Program Errors and developement environment
Summary: How does your language stack up?
Keywords: list of possible errors
Message-ID: <313@bnr-fos.UUCP>
Date: 28 Feb 89 16:44:30 GMT
References: <881@sceard.UUCP>
Sender: news@bnr-fos.UUCP
Reply-To: schow@bnr-public.UUCP (Stanley Chow)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Lines: 56

In article <881@sceard.UUCP> mrm@sceard.UUCP (M.R.Murphy) writes:
  [Mike Murphy tells us about a list of programming errors that he has 
   kept over the last ten years and asks for additions.    SC]
>
>  1) Is the argument count correct?
>  2) Is the spelling correct?
>  3) Is the argment type correct?
>  4) Is the variable initialized correctly?
>  5) Do "ends" match "do"s?
>  6) Is the correct register used?
>  7) Is a previous equate, using, or define in effect?
>  8) Is the level of indirectness correct?
>  9) Are the defaults correct?
> 10) Is the array large enough to hold the data?
> 11) Is the index out of range?
> 12) Is reentrancy, reusability, refreshability preserved?
> 13) Did you let something go by that you can't explain? Fix it now.
> 14) Does the program have anything remotely to do with the requirement
>     for the program?
> 15) Did you start to code before thinking?
> 16) Did you read the manual?
>
>---
>Mike Murphy  Sceard Systems, Inc.  544 South Pacific St. San Marcos, CA  92069
>mrm@sceard.UUCP       {hp-sdd,nosc,ucsd}!sceard!mrm            +1 619 471 0655


I like to ask people a different question (i.e., cross posting to 
comp.lang.misc) based on this (possiblely expanded list).

   How many of these error can be (are) prevented/encouraged by the
   language (implementation and specification), O/S, developement 
   environment that you use?

   How much cost saving (time & money) could be achived if an environment
   prevents all of these problems? What problems would remain?

Since the religous war potential of this is very high, I suggest everyone
refrain from commenting on C or Ada. Comments on why certain class of errors
is a neccesary evil in a particular language/application should be accompanied
by justification instead of rhetoric.

Please, if you felt "real programmers don't make mistakes", feel free to
start a religous war of your own; don't hide it under my Subject line.


Stanley Chow    ..!utgpu!bnr-vpa!bnr-fos!schow%bnr-public
		(613) 763-2831


P.S. I would volunteer to collect comment and summerize but our mailer is
     quirky and unreliable (as least for me) so I better not.


Since I havn't said anything, and I havn't been paid for saying anything
anyway, I don't think anyone will claim to be represented by any of this.